FAQs

Look to see if there is a chapter at your school by checking out the Chapter section. If there is a chapter at your school, please select your chapter when filling out membership registration.

If we do not have a chapter at your school, please select “no chapter affiliation” when filling out the online membership form. A student may also start a chapter at a school without one. If this is something you are interested in, please contact the AIAS office at mailbox@aias.org.

No! It is never too late to join the AIAS. You can join the AIAS at any time during the membership year which runs September 1st through August 31st.

No. Dues are generally reduced in January. You will receive all of the same benefits as any one that joined at the beginning of the year, including any back issues of CRIT published that year and reduced prices for events like Grassroots and Quad Conferences.

If you have a change in any of your contact information, you may edit the information yourself by logging into your account on the www.aias.org website. If you’d like to update your chapter information, please do so by filling out the form in the membership portion of www.aias.org. At any time, you may also email us at mailbox@aias.org or call us at (202) 808-0075.

Yes! Anyone with an interest in architecture or other design-related professions is welcome to join the AIAS.

Yes! The AIAS has a special High School Affiliate membership.

There are tangible and intangible benefits to membership in any association. The combined voices of almost 7,000 architecture and design students has and does make a difference in architectural education, internship practices and processes, and the future of your chosen profession.

The AIAS paved the way for a paradigm shift in the way interns are treated. The AIAS is also studying the studio culture environment which resulted in the modification of the NAAB Conditions and Procedures for accreditation. The national organization is the voice that facilitates the change. Membership dues funds some of those efforts. To a larger extent, though, the Board of Directors approves a budget that allocates dues dollars to programs that directly benefit the membership, and uses non-dues revenue to fund, as much as possible, those programs and overhead costs that do not directly relate back to the individual member.

Direct member benefits include Crit, Journal of the AIAS, a highly-respected international student journal; AIAS CRITnewsletter, our e-newsletter to the membership; funding travel for the Board and national officers (President and Vice President) to visit fledgling and established chapters around the country; support to host FORUM and Grassroots Leadership Conference (the chapter leadership training program held each summer). For more tangible benefits please visit the benefits page and look at the various exclusive discounts you can receive on software, books and other products.

To get the most out of your membership you need to get involved and make changes. As a combined group change can be affected on a “national level.” Membership benefits you and other students across the country in that it helps to remind those who are teaching, those who will see to licensing, and those who will be hiring you that you are here and your concerns over the profession are important and should not be brushed aside.

What you put into the AIAS is what you get out of it. The benefits of the AIAS come from attending the events and participating in the activities–at the local and “national” level. Your level of involvement is up to you, but the more active you become, the more worthwhile the experience will be. There are so many ways to become involved, please contact your chapter president or the office to find out what you can do to make the most of your AIAS experience.

AIAS FORUM is the annual convention of the American Institute of Architecture Students. More than that, it is the global gathering of architecture and design students. FORUM provides students with the opportunity to learn about important issues facing architectural education and the profession, to meet students, educators, and professionals with common interests, and to interact with some of today’s leading architects through keynote addresses, tours, workshops and seminars.

For 30 years the AIAS has been preparing future leaders in architecture through our AIAS Grassroots Leadership Conference.

Each year the conference brings together chapter leaders, AIAS Freedom By Design program leaders and other architecture and design students seeking insight and preparation on how to make the most of their year ahead. All are welcome to attend!

No, you do not have to be a member. However, it is beneficial to be one. Non-members who would like to attend either of these events will pay more than members. National membership for the AIAS is only $47 so it actually saves you money to become a member. Plus, you will get all of the great benefits that go along with membership in the AIAS.

If you are a departing president, please send the contact information for your new Board of Directors immediately after elections. You can fill out our online form here.

Chapter Dues: The Chapter Dues are the $275 annual payment from the chapter as a whole. Your Chapter Dues are waived if your school decides to become a Collegiate Associate. Learn more at our Collegiate Associates page.

National Dues: The National Dues are the dues required from each individual member. National Dues are waived for high school students, $47 for Undergraduate/Graduate students with a Local Chapter, $60 for AIAS Affiliates (including students who do not have a local chapter), $60 for International Students without a Local Chapter, $60 for AIAS Alumni, $60 for Faculty Members, and free for AIAS Faculty Advisors.

Local Dues: Local Dues, determined by each chapter, are added onto the National Dues for each member. These dues are used to fund activities at the local level. Local dues typically range from $0-$20.

If you have any other questions please e-mail us and your questions will be answered as soon as possible.

Chapters are required to maintain current contact information for the leadership with the AIAS national office. This includes but is not limited to President, Vice President and Faculty Advisor. We often refer to the “core four”. A great starting place for chapters is having a President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary.

CRIT is the journal of the AIAS and the premier publication of students in architecture, design and associated fields. Published since 1976, CRIT offers a variety of opportunities for AIAS members and acts as a forum for critical discourse and the dissemination of knowledge.

CRIT is your opportunity to distinguish yourself from your peers and provide you a competitive edge. CRIT presents opportunities for students to have their work published in a national journal that is read by thousands of students and is a part of the collections of nearly every architecture school library and a growing number of architecture firms.

Publication in CRIT is a unique accomplishment and an honor. Contributing to CRIT is also an opportunity to develop research and writing skills. The Editor-in-Chief has the dual responsibility of curating a high-caliber journal and acting as a writing mentor to contributors.

The deadline to submit your work to CRIT is September 15 for the printed Winter publication and April 15 for the digital Summer publication.

Freedom by Design™, the AIAS community service program in partnership with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), uses the talents of architecture students to radically impact the lives of people in their community through modest design and construction solutions. The program embraces efforts to provide both design-build and engagement solutions to address 5 barriers:

• Physical
• Educational
• Environmental
• Socio-Economic
• Cultural

Freedom by Design™ (FBD) encourages students to serve their communities by addressing issues with design solutions. FBD provides real-world experience through working with clients, learning from local licensed architects and contractors, and experiencing the practical impacts of architecture and design.

All AIAS Chapters are encouraged to establish a Freedom by Design program at their university. Please see how you can get involved at www.aias.org/fbd.

We are open to any story that features or highlights your chapter. From fundraising ideas, membership drives, career programming, chapter leadership transitions, how you partner with your local AIA chapter and even struggles you’re having as a chapter. Reach out to mailbox@aias.org if you have an idea for a story.

If you have a story to pitch or would like to write for the AIAS website, please reach out to mailbox@aias.org.